


Look through my window...

by ByronBlack



Series: The Lost Coast [4]
Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-12 02:22:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11152200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ByronBlack/pseuds/ByronBlack
Summary: After Baz fails to get information out of Joel, Pope takes it on himself to figure out who this mysterious stranger is. But in the process Pope discovers that he and Joel may have more in common that he first thought.





	Look through my window...

Pope's POV 

 

The morning after Joel outsmarted Baz and left him on the beach he woke up unaware that Pope had followed him home the previous night after following him from Smurf’s house. Pope had been sitting outside all night watching him from a nearby rock.

 

Pope sat outside for hours like this strange otherworldly outsider watching him as he went about his usual morning routine. He watched as he had his usual breakfast of Thomas's English muffins with tea and jam. He ate them while looking at clothes online on his laptop. 

 

Eventually Joel began to grow board with the monotony of his usual routine. In that moment he deiced to do something to entertain himself. He put on one of his old vinyl records. Music came flowing out the windows of the bus like a lovely breeze. Pope let out a light chuckle as he watched Joel dance about. Who was this ethereal creature who seemed to have the ability to gentile the rage in Pope's heart? 

 

A little after ten Joel got tired of sitting around the bus. He grabbed his shopping bag and went for a walk into town. Pope got up walked towards the bus. He broke into Joel’s tiny house and began to look around the bus for clues to who he really was. For all he knew he was a cop or wearing a wire for the cops.

 

As Pope searched Joel’s tiny house. Joel walked into the supermarket. He saw Smurf hurry out with Leena! Joel waved but Smurf pretended not to see him as she hurried out. Suddenly he heard some woman call out Leena’s name. It wasn't Kath... A baby sitter perhaps?

 

It was then it Dawned on him that Smurf took Leena! He carried on and pretended nothing had happened. He knew why she did it! She took Leena to teach Kath a lesson. It was starting to become clear to him what kind of people Darren's family really were.

 

Later, when he came back to the bus he was startled by the realization that Pope was there waiting for him. “Pope. Jesus you scared the shit outta me! There a reason you're here sitting in the dark right now?”

 

“You have a secret!”

 

“Of course I do. Everybody has secrets. Stephen King says a person without secrets is like a scarecrow without stuffing!”

 

“I mean this secret!” Pope said holding up a picture of twin boys. Under one was the name Joel, under the other. Elliot!

 

Joel’s heart sank when he saw it! “Where did you, You went into my bedroom?”

 

“Start talking!”

 

Joel sat down and wiped away his tears. He took a deep breath and began to tell Pope the truth about his mysterious past!

 

“I never really had roots as a kid. We blew around like leaves in the wind, living with various relatives who would take us in out of pity from time to time. But there were long stretches in between where we would live out of motels, or our car...” Joel said feeling the white heat behind his eyes as tears began to well in them. Pope could tell that Joel was very upset. He got up and poured him a glass of water. Joel drank it and then went back to telling Pope his story. “It was at a gas station. We we’re on this road trip. Mom always said that to try and fool us. We weren't homeless we were just on an extended vacation. She pulled into the gas station. She left me in charge...”

 

“And that’s how Elliot went missing?” Pope asked. 

 

“No. I am Elliot. I lied and said I was my brother so my mother wouldn’t be mad at me. I change my name to Joel to honor my brother. A part of me still hopes he’s alive out there somewhere. But in my heart I know he’s dead!” Joel began to cry.

 

Pope got up and hugged him. Embracing him until his cried himself out. As someone who was now a twin-less, twin. He could understand the pain he felt everyday, because his own was still so raw and new.

 

A short time later, Pope was sitting on the bed beside Joel; with his arm wrapped around him in a loving manor. At times Pope had it in him to be the most loving of creatures. There was love in his body but he had trouble getting it out. “You Okay?” Asked Pope.

 

“No. But it helps to say I will be! So... what happens now?” Joel asked. His eyes sill red from tears.

 

Pope brushed his hair out of his face and said, “Get some sleep...”

 

That said Pope was gone. Leaving Joel alone and haunted by his photographs and memories. Filled with a lifetime of regrets that all collected around him like old friends. 

 

END


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